I love travelling.
I love Shimla.
I love travelling to and living in Shimla.
Ergo, this photo-blog is dedicated to Shimla. Mostly.

Why this blog is called "Gallimaufry".

gal-uh-MAW-free\, noun.

Originally meaning "a hash of various kinds of meats," "gallimaufry" comes from French galimafrée; in Old French, from the word galer, "to rejoice, to make merry"; in old English: gala + mafrer: "to eat much," and from Medieval Dutch maffelen: "to open one's mouth wide."

It's also a dish made by hashing up odds and ends of food; a heterogeneous mixture; a hodge-podge; a ragout; a confused jumble; a ridiculous medley; a promiscuous (!) assemblage of persons.

Those of you who know me, will, I’m sure, understand how well some of these phrases (barring the "promiscuous" bit!) fit me.

More importantly, this blog is an ode to my love for Shimla. I hope to show you this little town through my eyes. If you don't see too many people in it, forgive me, because I'm a little chary of turning this into a human zoo.

Stop by for a spell, look at my pictures, ask me questions about Shimla, if you wish. I shall try and answer them as best as I can. Let's be friends for a while....

23 September 2009

An attitude of gratitude

This morning brought an unexpected gift. It came in the form of some thoughts shared by my friend Dick Richards who thanked me for sharing my world with him. Heading out for my morning constitutional, I was struck by the fact that I have so much to be grateful for:

Friends. Those of you who stuck by me and those of you who went away. Those of you I've known for long and those of you I've only just met. You make my life richer by your presence.

Family which gives and gives me only support and affection, pulls my leg when I act too stuffy, and does not indulge in guilt trips. Just lets me be.

Good health, pronounced as 200% fitness by those in the know.

A job which lets me travel and fool around and meet interesting people and do worthwhile stuff.

A creative space which is my solace when all else goes downhill.

Internet through which I've met some amazing people and made friends with them although they live miles and miles away.

Shimla where I feel most centred and creative and content.

"Do you give thanks for this? -- Or that?"No, God be thankedI am not gratefulIn that cold calculating way, with blessing rankedAs one, two, three, and four -- that would be hateful.

I only know that every day brings good aboveMy poor deserving;I only feel that, in the road of Life, true loveIs leading me along and never swerving.

Whatever gifts and mercies in my lot may fall,I would not measureAs worth a certain price in praise, or great or small.But take them and use them all with simple pleasure.

Me.Me.Me.

A Request

The photographs and most of the text on this blog are the sole property of the author. Please do not use them without her permission.To do so will invite all sorts of retribution: ranging from being slapped with a handbag to hearing from the author's lawyers (who're a dreadful mix of Tulkinghorn, Grewgious, Grimwig, Heep and Jaggers).Worse yet, the author may subject you to a reading of her poems.You don't want that.